Distended fibrous material and process of producing the same



- Ho Drawing.

Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK L. BRYANT, or cnrcaeo, ILLmoIs, Assmnoa'ro SIDNEY L. scnwimz, or

cnrcaao,

ILLINOIS DISTENIDED FIIBROUS MATERIAL AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING THE SAME This invention relates to distended fibrous materials and 1process of producing the same.

An object 0 the invention is to provide a process of treating cellulose pulp and other vfibrous materials andwherein the material is mixed with solutions containing foamforming substances, and the mixture agitated, serving to produce a condition wherein relatively stable bubbles are incorporated with the fibers of the pulp in such manner as to distend or separate the fibers and maintain the same in such condition until fixed by drying.

Another object of the invention is to pro-.

duce a product of fibrous material wherein the fibers thereof are disarranged or distended in such manner that the normal volume of the material is greatly increased and aerated throughout. I

Still another object of the'inv'ention is to rovide a fibrous product which is character- 126d.- by lightness, fiufliness and great absorptive properties, rendering the same suitable In practicing the process a solution is first prepared by dissolving in a predetermined quantity of; water a predetermined quantity of chemical characterized by its capability of forming a relatively stable foam. Among the chemicals having this property are some of the carbohydrates, for instance, the starches and dextrins, some of the albumens, such as egg albumen, and some of the glucosideaparticularly saponin. It is possible to use as the foam-formingmedium any of these substances or combinations thereof, and some other shbstances not mentioned have this property, namely, that of forming relatively Application filed December 19, 1928. Serial 1T0. 327,171.

templated herein.

In the preferred form of the invention, it

is intended to use as the bubble or foamforming medium, saponin, which exhibits excellent results in practice, particularly in connection with forming the soft, flufiy product hereinafter more fully described.

The saponin is completely dissolved in the water, preferably one part of saponin to 400 parts of water. Into this solution is introduced the material to be processed, which in this instance is cellulose pul of a character commonly used in the manuiacture of paper or cotton, the quantity of pulp'being relatlvely small for the best results, consisting of about eight and one-halfparts thereof to the approximately four hundred parts of the solution.

The mixture thus provided is then vigorously agitated, beaten or whipped by suitable mechanical means for approximately thirty to sixty minutes so asto' thoroughly break up the cellulose material and separate the fibers thereof and thoroughly mix these fibers with the bubbles, lather or foam thus produced. l-

The mixture after bein or whip ed as referred volume or stable foam in which the pulp fibers are suspended, and a portion of the original solution which has not been converted into 'foam. In order to thoroughly incorporate the fibers of the pulp within the foam, it appears necessary 'to use the relatively large amount of solution noted as compared to the amount of pulp treated. The excess solution thoroughly beaten to, consists of a appears to act as a lubricant between the it may be desirable to partially or thoroughly Whatever this action beat the pulp with water, drain off the water and introduce into the solution the wet pulp in place of the dry pulp above referred to. Under these conditions, the action appears to be somewhat facilitated.

After the stable foam abovelreferred to has been formed, including as it does proportions of the pulp and saponaceous solution, it is poured into a suitable mold for forming it into the desired shape, the mold being prowided with means for draining olf the surplus solution, or the material may be formed on a properly arranged Fourdrlnier paper ma- I has considerable bearing upon the density of the finished product, that is, when more pulp than the quantity above referred to is used with the quantity of solution noted, the product will be of greater density than when a less (uantity of pulp is added to the solution.

lso, the period during which the mixture is beaten or whipped has an effect upon the density of the product, that is, the more prolonged the bearing or whipping action, the less the density of the product, this apparently bearing a relation to the proportion of air incorporated in the foam forming the mixture.

The product which results from practice of the process described has a greater volume as compared with its volume prior to subjection to the process, and is further characterized by extreme softness, flufiiness and great absorptive properties. The completed product, in its dry state, has its'fibers disarranged and distended or distorted due to the presence of the stable air bubbles of the saponaceous solution thereinduring drying, the product after drying, exhibitinga fixed .form having corresponding fiber distortion and disarrangement, resulting in the expanded volumes, softness, and fiufliness before referred toand rendering the same suitable for employment in any situation where a product of this character would prove to be useful. In appearance the product resembles short staple cotton and the softness and flufliness thereof is also comparable with cot- I ton. Although it is in relatively fixed form it may be somewhat subjected to compression action to change its density somewhat and shaped into the desired form'for marketing, while retaining its softness and flufliness.

The product may be somewhat varied by slightly varying the ingredients of the-foamforming solution to' include a substance which will become rigid when dried. For instance, when a small amount of such a substance, casein for instance, is added to the solution, the resulting product, while still of the expanded aerated form due to the incorporation of the foam with its fibers, when dried, exhibits considerable rigidity, this apparently being due to the stiffness imparted thereto by the residual casein incorporated with the distended or disarranged fibers of the material. I

Although only one method of producing the foam has been referred to, that is by mechanical agitation, it is apparent that the foam may be formed in other ways, as for in stance, by combining with the ingredients referred to, certain of the well-known gasforming chemicals. Also, it is possible to form the foam by introducing compressed air or gas into the mixture of fibrous material and the solution,

Although certain other variations might be made in the process and product without departing from-the spirit of the invention, attention is directed to an important feature of the invention which resides in separating the fibers of the material treated through the medium of relatively stable bubbles or foam which are incorporated with the fibers, whereby the distention and separation occasioned by the presence of the foam or bubbles incorporated with the fibers are perpetuated 1. A process of treating-fibrous matter to produce soft, fiuffy material, consisting in incorporating with the fibers of said matter a chemical solution containing relatively stable airbubblesand drying said matter, said air bubbles serving to maintain said fibers in separated condition during the drying ofsaid matter.

2. A process of treating fibrous material consisting in distending the fibers thereof through the introduction between the fibers of an agent containing relatively stable chemically induced bubbles.

3. A process of treating fibrous pulp consisting in mixing with the pulp a glucoside solution, agitating the mixture to separate the fibers of the pulp and incorporate with the fibers relatively stable bubbles, and drytended condition. 1

4:. A process of treating fibrous material consisting in mixing said material and a solution capable of incorporating relatively ing the mixture while the fibers are in dis- 4 stable bubbles, agitating said mixture to effect incorporation of the bubbles with the fibers of said material, and drying the material with the bubbles incorporated therewithin.

5. A process of treating cellulose, consisting in mixing the same with a saponin solution, agitating the mixture to form a bibulous, aerated mass and drying said mixture.

6. A process of treating cellulose material consisting in distending the fibres of the same through the incorporation with the fibers of relatively stable sapona'ceous lather, and drying said material while in distended condition. I

7. A process of treating cellulose consisting in the following steps: mixing a solution of saponaceous material and cellulose, agitating said material to induce incorporation of the lather with the fibers of said cellulose, and drying the celliilose with the lather incorporated therewithin.

8. A process of treating fibrous matter to produce soft, flufi'y material of different densities, consisting in mixing the fibrous matter with a solution of foam-forming material, agitating said mixture, and drying said mixture, the proportions of the strength of the foam-forming solution and of the period of agitation determining the density of the product; i

9. A process of treating fibrous material consisting in distending the fibers thereof through the introduction between the fibers of an agent containing relatively stable bubbles.

10. A process of treating cellulose, consist-' ing in mixing the same with a foam-forming solution, agitating the mixture, and drying said mixture.

11. A process of treating fibrous material 1 7. A fibrous material in its fixed state characterized by residual fibre distension occasioned by the presence of aerating bubbles in a formative state.

18. Theprocess which comprises convert ing a slurry of fibers into a stifi foam in the I comprises aerating and agitating an aqueous slurry of cellulosic fibers in the presence of a foam stablizing agent until a stifii dense foam is formed containing thecellulosic fibers and then carefully drying the foam.

In witness that I claim the foregoing l have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of December, 1928. Y

FRANK lb. BRYANT.

to produce an expanded volume consisting in mixing the fibrous matter with a foam-form ing solution, agitating said mixture and drying the same.

12. A dry cellulose material characterized by expanded volume, softness and fluifiness, said material having incorporated throughout its mass residual lather of saponaceous substances.

13. A dry fibrous material characterized by expanded volume, said material having incorporated throughout its mass residual foam-forming substances.

14. A product consisting of chemically aerated cellulose material.

15. A dry fibrous material characterized by softness and fiufiiness resulting from the presence of saponaceous bubbles incorporated witlh its fibers during the drying of the materia 16. A fibrous material having incorporated with its fibers a saponaceous lather and characterized in a dry state by expanded volume, softness and flutfiness. 

